


You Were Kind of Like Our Dad

by guiltyaschanged



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Absent Parents, Bonding, Dad Donald, Family, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy, Overprotective Donald, Sweet, duck family - Freeform, hugs for everyone, only minor angst, single parent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:35:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26735230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guiltyaschanged/pseuds/guiltyaschanged
Summary: Huey decides to stay home with his Uncle Donald instead of going on a vacation with his mom and brothers. It turns out he needs to get a few things off of his chest.
Comments: 19
Kudos: 187





	You Were Kind of Like Our Dad

“Boys! Look what I’ve got!” Della exclaimed, bursting into the triplets’ room. 

“A crinkled piece of paper?”

“An egg salad sandwich?”

“A travel pamphlet?”

“That’s right! We’re gonna go on a tropical vacation, just us four! We’ll take The Cloud Slayer and everything. Doesn’t that sound fun?” Della rambled on, unable to contain her enthusiasm. 

“Sounds awesome!” Dewey cheered. “A prime opportunity for some good old fashioned mother-son bonding!”

“When do we leave?” Louie asked, looking up from his phone. He seemed eager to go on this adventure since it meant spending more time with their mom. 

“Tomorrow, I just have to buy the tickets,” Della beamed.

“Wait,” Huey interjected. “Uncle Scrooge, Webby and Mrs. B all left on an adventure this morning. Won’t Uncle Donald be all alone here?”

“I’m sure he’ll enjoy the peace and quiet,” Della assured him. 

“Dude, are you seriously passing up a tropical vacation,  _ with  _ mom?” Dewey inquired, exasperated. 

“Yeah, and I’m practically made for island life. It’ll be perfect for me,” Louie added. 

“I. . . I guess I am,” Huey admitted. “I don’t want Uncle Donald to be all by himself.”

Huey tried not to wince at how hurt Della looked because of his choice, although she quickly regained her composure. “That’s alright Huey. I’m sure you’ll have fun staying here, too.”

Della smiled warmly, then turned to leave. “I’ll get you two a list of what to pack.”

Dewey and Louie were surprised that Huey had opted to stay, but decided not to push the subject. Huey climbed up onto the top bunk, then took out his JWG from under his hat. He hid behind the veil of the book, trying to sort out his emotions. 

Huey hadn’t wanted to hurt his mother’s feelings, but he also didn’t want to leave Uncle Donald behind. Who was he supposed to choose?

It was about noon the next day, and the golden sun was right above the mansion. Della, Dewey and Louie had just left for their trip. Huey was surprised that he didn’t feel more of an urge to be with them. Sure, he would miss out on making memories with his family, and the shenanigans of his brothers, but he was also happy here. Maybe happier than he would’ve been there.

Now Huey was all alone in the McDuck Manor, since everyone had cleared out. Although he didn’t stay there for long. Instead, he waddled out to the front yard, where their houseboat was situated in the pool. 

Uncle Donald’s carefree whistling could be heard as Huey approached. Huey was happy that his Uncle was finally able to relax and calm down for a bit; he was usually so stressed. Huey softly knocked on the door and entered.

“Huey!” came Uncle Donald’s startled voice. “I thought you’d gone with the others.”

Huey shook his head, climbing up on a stool. “Not this time. I wanted to stay with you.”

“With me?” Donald asked, dumbfounded as to why his nephew would choose him over a vacation. Or what it would surely become, an adventure.

“Well, yeah,” Huey smiled. “I didn’t want you to be all alone here. I wanted to spend time with you.”

Donald’s heart practically overflowed with joy. He had thought that Huey, Dewey, Louie didn’t need him anymore with Della back. But now here was Huey, who had purposefully stayed behind to spend time with him! Donald had really thought those days were gone for good.

“Of course! How about we grab some fishing rods and go down to the pier?” Donald suggested.

Huey hopped down from the stool, practically bouncing up and down. “Awesome!”

About half an hour later, Donald and Huey were walking the pier. The weather had drastically changed from sunny and clear-skied to overcast and windy, yet neither seemed to mind. The two ducks situated themselves close to the end of the dock and began unwinding their rods.

They both stood there for a while, not really speaking but happy to be together. Donald found himself reflecting on the past, before they had moved in with Scrooge. 

Donald had always tried to be the best parent he could be, and give each of the triplets a fair amount of attention. But as he thought of it now, it was Dewey who most often stole the spotlight, seconded by Louie. Huey had never really demanded anyone pay attention to him, because he was so good at simply doing what adult’s expected of him. The thought made Donald all the more thankful to be spending one-on-one time with the oldest triplet.

“That’s a big one!” Donald praised Huey as he reeled in a meaty looking fish. 

“It’s a Tiger Shark!” Huey exclaimed. Donald called over some of the workers to help them out with releasing the shark. 

Donald was rather nervous about the fact that Huey had just caught a shark. Huey, on the other hand, was absolutely enthralled. 

“Now, it may seem bad that a shark was near the pier, but it’s not completely uncommon either. This Tiger Shark looks to be pretty young, though. Hey! Did you know that all of the sea grass around here will be benefiting off of this-”

“Huey! Back up and let them wrangle the shark,” Donald cut off his nephew from his rambling fact spewing, not wanting Huey anywhere near all of those teeth.

“Oh, right. Sorry, Uncle Donald,” Huey took a few paces back.

The two were very intrigued and continued to watch the workers in their process to wrangle the shark. When the Tiger Shark landed in the crystal waters with a satisfying  _ splash _ , Donald graciously thanked those who’d helped them.

“That was so cool!” Huey grinned, almost immediately casting out his bait again. Donald agreed, and quiet elapsed between them again. 

After a few moments, Huey spoke up. “I’ve been trying to figure out why I was so on the fence about going on the trip with mom. I didn’t want you to be alone. . . but I also wanted to thank you.”

“Thank me?” Donald asked, gazing down at the red triplet.

“Yeah! Because you were always kind of like,” Huey hesitated, glancing up at the gray sky. “Like our dad.”

_ Dad.  _ The word rang through Donald’s mind. He’d always told his boys to call him Uncle Donald, mainly because he didn’t want to disrespect Della, even though she had been absent. But that was just it, wasn’t it?  _ His  _ boys. In every meaning of the word, Donald had been their dad. He’d been there when they’d hatched, went to their first day of school, and needed comfort from a scary storm rocking the houseboat.

Donald was always there when Huey, Dewey and Louie needed him. He still was.

When Donald didn’t reply, although his eyes had begun to water, Huey continued. “I tried to act normal when mom came back, for everyone’s sake. And I am happy she’s back, but, well, I think Louie felt similarly. . . it’s all so complicated.”

“To suddenly have your mom come back after ten years?” Donald guessed.

Huey nodded, rubbing at his wrists. “I just don’t want everything we had to be forgotten. It kind of feels like we’re supposed to act like she never left, and to forget you were ever there. I still want you to be our Uncle Donald.”

Donald was definitely crying now. He knelt down and put a hand on Huey’s shoulder. “I understand how you feel. And I want you to know Huey, that I will never stop being here for you or your brothers. I promise, whenever you need me I'll-”

His words were cut short when Huey came rushing into his arms. “I love you, Uncle Donald,” he sniffed.

“I love you too, buddy,” came Donald’s whispered reply as he held Huey close.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I hope you enjoyed this! On the show it seems that out of the triplets Huey is closest with his Uncle Donald, so that inspired this quick story.


End file.
